The three main terminals of the starter contactor (also referred to herein, and in the Claims, as the "contactor terminals") therefore all lie in the same zone, and all three are oriented in the same direction, which corresponds substantially to the main axis of the contactor. Having regard to the disposition and orientation of the electric motor within the engine compartment of the vehicle, i.e. the compartment that contains the engine which is equipped with the starter, it is this disposition and orientation that determines that of the contactor terminals within the engine compartment. However, often there is not sufficient room between the part of the contactor that has the contactor terminals and the other components of the engine, or surrounding components of the vehicle within the engine compartment.
Where there is insufficient space, or this space is reduced, the contactor terminals can often be virtually inaccessible. During assembly of the vehicle, or during its working life when repairs have to be carried out, this difficulty of access can be a great nuisance: for example, it may be extremely difficult, or even impossible, to pass the connecting spade terminals on the end of the leads that have to be connected to the contactor, and the associated nuts, into position for attachment to the starter.
In any case, as is well known, it is often difficult to find enough space to manipulate the tools, such as spanners or screwdrivers, that are used in tightening or loosening terminal connections within an engine compartment.
Thus, for each engine of each model of vehicle, the starter casing, and essentially the casing or housing of the contactor, have to be designed differently in order to enable these various operations to be carried out in a relatively convenient way. This individualised, or unstandardised, design for starters, different for each application, leads to a multiplication of different models of starter, and to a great profusion of models which it is then necessary to hold in stock.